by Q. B. Tyler
“Charley, we should talk about this,” I say against her mouth, and I want to kick myself for interrupting her when I feel her lips leave mine. She sits up and nods once before her eyes find her hands that are fidgeting in her naked lap. “Don’t be nervous,” I whisper in her ear as I sit up and pepper kisses along her shoulder.
“You’re going to say we shouldn’t do this again,” she whispers and to be honest, I was going to, until I saw that look in her eyes. Until I raked my gaze over the most gorgeous woman I’ve ever met, over the most delectable body I’ve ever kissed, the most perfect pink pussy I’ve ever had in my mouth, and all of those rational thoughts go out the window.
“We shouldn’t do this. That much is obvious.”
“I’m sensing a ‘but’,” she says with a wicked gleam in her eye.
“I was just going to suggest some ground rules.”
“Ground rules?”
“Yes. To protect us both. I think we both know how damaging it will be on both sides if this gets out.”
She nods. “Matt can’t know.”
“I agree.” I fight the urge to tell her I don’t want other men touching her. Even her husband. I can’t tell her that for the past two months, I’ve had pangs of jealousy every time I think about her sleeping with her husband. No. That possessive caveman needs to stay locked up.
“Are you doing this with other women? Other patients?” she asks, and I can hear the apprehension in her voice.
“No,” I answer immediately. Does she think my moral compass is that skewed? That I just go fucking any woman with a pulse without regard for the consequences? Can’t she see that she’s different? I don’t think she does so I opt to tell her. “You’re different, Charley.”
“Why? I mean…why me?”
“I’m drawn to you in a way that I’ve never been drawn to anyone. Frankly, I think whatever this is—is bigger than us both.” And I believe that. The universe wasn’t going to let me leave this earth without having a taste of Charlotte Pierce, and I was happy to oblige that cosmic irony.
“What are you doing out here all by yourself?” Charley’s voice brings me back into the present as she appears in the living room and immediately plants herself in my lap, wrapping a blanket completely around her. “I figured you were eventually coming to bed.”
“I’m sorry, baby. My dad is on his way over, and I needed something to take the edge off.”
She whimpers and buries her face in my chest, pulling the blanket completely over her head. “I’ll be hiding in your room.”
I pull the blanket down and kiss her before, shaking my head slowly. “We can’t hide from this. Any of it.”
“Your parents hate me,” she groans. “And this is only going to make things worse.” I hear my front door opening and my brother’s voice rings through the air. Charley climbs out of my lap to sit next to me when Andrew comes into view.
“What are you doing here, Drew?” I ask, wondering why he’s showing up unannounced. Didn’t he learn his lesson the last time?
“J.R. called me.”
Of course, he did.
“Why?”
“He thought you might need me.” He looks at the woman sitting next to me and I immediately go on the defense. “I know we didn’t get off on the best foot.” He smiles. “I’m Andrew, this asshole’s big brother,” he smiles the smile that’s worked on a million women and I wonder if mine will be as easily charmed.
She gives a polite nod. “I’m Charlotte.”
He reaches a hand towards her and when she takes it he yanks her to her feet causing her to squeal, and pulls her into a bear hug. When he releases her, he rests his hands on her shoulders to steady her. “I was a dick that day. I didn’t know how crazy my brother was about you…How much he loves you. How much you love him.”
She starts to say something before she shakes her head. “What are you talking about? This is the first time we’ve met,” she says giving him a knowing smile and he gives her one back. I’m in awe of how Charley is reacting to this, her willingness to start over so easily with my brother despite their first interactions.
“Well, alright then,” he looks at me. “So, what’s the next step?”
“I don’t know, wait for J.R….see what he thinks?” I rub my eyes, willing the headache away that comes whenever I’m preparing to be in the presence of either of my parents. I down the rest of my drink and Andrew raises an eyebrow at me.
“Alright, I’ll pour us a round,” he says pulling the glass from me and moving towards the kitchen.
* * *
“I KNEW THIS WAS GOING to happen. How could you not be more careful? You’re telling me you couldn’t have kept it in your pants until her divorce was finalized?” J.R. asks, the judgment dripping from his voice as he paces the length of my living room. Charley and I are seated on the couch like children in trouble as my father reads us the riot act.
I rub a hand over my forehead, recalling a time where I’d sat on the custom-made, leather couch that my mother had flown in from Italy. I was nine years old, trying to hold back my tears of embarrassment, as I hid the pain of my father’s disapproval over not making the soccer team.
“We practiced for hours yesterday. What happened?” He shook his head, the disappointment all over his face.
“I don’t know how you missed the athletic gene. It looks as if your brother got them all.” He throws his hands up in defeat.
I look down, humiliated and unable to meet his gaze.
“J.R., lay off. Yelling at them now isn’t helping,” my brother interjects. My eyes shoot up, finding my brother, and I can’t keep my fist from flexing slightly as I’m pulled out of the final moments of my trip down memory lane. “It’s done, it’s over with. Her husband knows.”
“I’m shocked we haven’t yet heard from Stein. Do we think that there’s any chance he hasn’t told his lawyers?” my father asks, his question geared more towards Charlotte—she does know him better than anyone else in the room.
I don’t want to discuss the matter of the email in front of Charley because I haven’t told her yet, but I shake my head anyway, answering the question for her. “I mean there’s a chance. The fact that I haven’t heard anything means he hasn’t. The second the board gets wind of this, trust me, I’ll know.” I haven’t given much thought to what I will do if the board finds out about my indiscretions. If I were no longer able to practice…if they revoke my license.
Where do I go from here?
I look over at Charley and notice her fidgeting, her hands rubbing her thighs nervously. I take one of her hands in mine and bring it to my lips.
Wherever I go, this woman will be by my side.
“I want to know why Matt just arbitrarily showed up,” J.R. questions.
“Apparently, he was having Charlotte followed,” I answer.
My father crosses his arms and stares down at us.” Apparently?”
“He knows about the house. Evidently, his PI followed us there.” I sigh, leaning back against the couch as the energy slowly leaves my body. I had a slight buzz earlier, but now it is wearing off and the exhaustion of the day and this conversation with my father is weighing on me.
My father looks back and forth between us, and even at my brother, as if he has the answer to the question written all over his face. He takes a step closer, towering over us. “House?”
“I bought a house.”
“For what reason?” my father asks.
I resist the snort at his ridiculous question. My father drilled the importance of the real estate business into both me and my brother as we left college and entered the “real world.”
I cock my head to the side, raising an eyebrow. “For Charlotte and me to live, J.R., why the hell do you think?”
“And his guy followed you to your future love nest,” he shakes his head. “Fucking fantastic. I’ve really got my work cut out for me.” He pulls his jacket off and fiddles with his cufflinks in the way that all pretentious assholes
do. “Tell me you have something over Macallan twelve.” He crosses the room like he owns it, and I happen to catch Charley’s look of indignation as she follows him with her eyes.
That is one of the few things J.R. and I have in common. Our taste in Scotch.
That taste that almost ruined my future.
Ruined me.
I clear my throat. “I opened a bottle of eighteen earlier.” He seems pleased with my answer and opens the bottle, pouring himself a glass. “I think we need to meet with him.” My father suggests.
“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Charley’s sweet voice floods the room. “I just…he’s unreasonable right now. And unstable, and I just…worry…” She trails off and I can already hear where her mind is going. She’s worried about me.
I smile at her and give her a kiss on her temple. “Don’t worry.” I know the perfect way to get Matt alone based on his most recent communication. I pull her into a hug, shielding her from J.R. when I shoot him a look and point to him and then my office. He nods in understanding.
“Charlotte, I think it would be best if I had some words with my son alone. Do you mind?”
Charley’s warm, brown eyes find mine before looking toward my father. “Yes…I mean no, I don’t mind,” she stumbles, scrunching her eyes together. I can feel her nerves and all I want to do is take her upstairs and fuck them out of her. “I can go,” she looks at me. “Should I go?”
“No,” I say, shaking my head, my thoughts a mix of confusion and horror that she even considered it. “You’re right where you belong…with me.”
“Okay.”
“I’ll be ten minutes,” I say brushing my lips against hers. “Drew, keep her company.” I point at him and he nods.
“Absolutely, want to take some shots?” he says, shooting me a grin, and I shake my head as I follow my father back to my office.
He looks at my phone, staring hard at it before I see him forward the email to himself. “He just sent this?”
“Yeah, like an hour ago.” I’m suddenly irrationally agitated. Despite the fact that we were in my house, in my office, I find myself searching the space wondering what my father can possibly make a comment about.
Who gives a fuck what he has to say?
That’s what J.R. will say. He doesn’t give a fuck about anyone’s opinion and lets people know it —often.
The thing is, I give a fuck what people think.
I give a fuck what J.R. Montgomery thinks.
And he is ruthless with his thoughts.
He brings the glass to his lips, taking a healthy sip before he points at me, his eyes never leaving my phone. “This is what happens when you stick your dick somewhere it doesn’t belong.” He shakes his head. “I figured you would have gotten all of the inappropriate pussy out of your system in college or, I don’t know, grad school? Who does this shit at thirty? Who throws a wrench in their life for a piece of ass?”
My blood begins to boil. I expected this. I was prepared for this. I repeated over and over the words “do not engage,” and yet I still can’t stop the words as they flow from my mouth. “Oh, that is really rich coming from you. How many twenty something assistants have you slept with?”
“You watch your mouth, William. None of them were married.”
“No…just you. You were only risking your marriage.” I cross my arms, narrowing my eyes at him. “I’m fairly certain there was a woman across town, that stuck by you and raised your sons while you were out philandering your way through Atlanta’s sluttiest,” I snarl.
“Well, maybe you’re better than me!” he yells. “Maybe I don’t want you to be like me.” The room becomes so silent, all you can hear is J.R.’s heavy breathing. I don’t know what to say. His words hit me harder than I’d imagined, having never heard him say anything like that. “I was never going to sacrifice anything for them. And you’re willing to give up everything for her. This is different. You and I are different.”
Well, thank fuck for that. “You’re right, I’d never hurt the woman I love.”
“So easy to say that at thirty. Come talk to me in twenty years. You think you’ve got all the answers figured out? You don’t. Love is fleeting, William.”
“That’s bullshit.”
“You know what’s not fleeting? Hard work that leads to a lifetime of power and prestige. I’m leaving you and Drew the keys to the kingdom. A legacy you can count on. What will your legacy be if everything you’ve ever worked for is about to go up in flames for a whirlwind romance?”
“It’s not a whirlwind, J.R.”
“You’ve known her less than a year and you’ve already bought her a house? Are you insane? This all may be fun and romantic and exciting now, but what happens in a few years, William? I’ve seen this happen too, you know. You may know love, but I know divorce.”
“So, do I. I’m a marriage counselor.”
“Which is why I’m so astounded that you allowed yourself to get into this position! You of all people should know that love is just as much about being smart and protecting your assets as it is about emotions.”
“Look, I’m not here to argue the details of my relationship with Charley. I called you here to help me. So, either you can do that or you can leave.”
He looks at me, those cold, blue eyes that are almost an exact replica of mine boring into me like they had so many times growing up. I am almost the spitting image of my father, something that to this day pisses me off. I hate that when I look in the mirror every day, I see him.
The devil in disguise.
People see a good-looking face. Women stop on the street, their eyes raking over me lasciviously, at times even in front of their husbands. They see something different than what I see.
It’s why I’ve worked twice as hard to be nothing like him.
Drew looked like my mother, light colored hair, fairer skin, and freckles that dot across their faces, always growing darker under the blazing Atlanta sun. On our family vacations they huddled under umbrellas, or stayed indoors, hiding out from the UV rays and avoiding the sunburn, while my father forced me onto every golf course in a thirty-mile radius. Barking orders about what I was doing wrong and how I’d never amount to anything.
Because I was really interested in being the next Tiger Woods…
Well, I guess I’m about to have a sex scandal under my belt.
He finally speaks. “This email means he thinks he can get you to walk away. Are you—”
“I’m not walking,” I interrupt, and he looks at me. For the first time since I told him about this predicament, he chuckles.
“You know, I was really looking forward to a light caseload this month. I’m supposed to be vacationing in St. Barths this time next week.”
“I’m sorry for the inconvenience.” I roll my eyes.
“I’ll send you the bill.”
“Take it out of my trust fund,” I grumble, thinking about the hundreds of thousands of dollars I’ve refused to touch.
Long ago, I decided I didn’t want it. I didn’t want the “sorry for making your childhood shitty, here’s a quarter of a million, I hope that makes up for it.” Even when I was drowning in debt from getting my masters, I refused.
“You’re so stubborn you know that?” I am fully aware. “Alright, speaking like a lawyer and not your father,” he starts.
Thank God. Lawyer J.R. Montgomery is someone I can handle. It is his dad persona that has me wanting to step out into oncoming traffic.
“You really love this girl?”
I nod. “More than anything. She means more to me than my practice. I bought her a house last month. I know the timing and the circumstances could literally not be worse. But…she’s all that matters. If I have to sacrifice my practice to do it, then so be it,” I see the look he gives me. “I’m not going to regret it.”
“And she’s just as invested?”
“Absolutely.”
He nods in understanding. “Call him.”
“Call…
Wells?”
“Yes, tell him you want to discuss the email in person and not over the phone. I have a plan but we have to move quickly.”
J.R. may be the devil, but he is one hell of a lawyer. And though I do not trust my father, I trust J.R. Montgomery Esquire with my life and my career that was currently hanging in the balance.
I take a deep breath as I dial the man who is the only thing standing in the way of me and the woman I love. “Matthew Wells,” he says tersely into the phone and I roll my eyes.
You know who this is, dick.
“It’s Dr. Montgomery.”
“I think we’re past the formalities, don’t you, Will?”
“Fine. I didn’t call to discuss semantics. I want to discuss your email.”
“I’m sure you do,” he chuckles. “I knew you were so full of it with that ‘I’m so in love with her’ shit. Give me a break, Montgomery,” he jokes. I clench my fists as I hear him disrespect my relationship with Charley. My father shakes his head at me, sensing my agitation and mouths at me to calm down.
“Would you meet me in my office? In say thirty minutes?”
“In person conversation, huh? That serious?”
“This doesn’t really seem like the conversation I want to have on the phone, given that I don’t trust you.”
“You don’t trust me? That’s rich, you’ve been screwing my wife for how many months now?”
“LOOK,” I growl and my father shakes his head and spins his finger in a circle signaling that I need to wrap up this conversation. “Thirty minutes, Wells.”
“I’ll see you then. Is my wife joining us?” he asks and I can sense the hostility through the phone.
“No,” I say succinctly.
I don’t want her anywhere near you, asshole. I’m ending this shit once and for all. And then Charley is mine.
I end the phone call with Matt and walk into my living room to see my brother and Charley playing what looks like…poker? “Got yourself a badass poker player here, little bro. Take this lady to Vegas.”
“This is big,” I say, kissing the top of her head. “No one beats my brother at poker.” Something I’ve learned the hard way—many times.